A joint UN - DRC government humanitarian assessment
mission is due to visit the western Bas-Congo area
to evaluate humanitarian needs. The mission was among
the humanitarian issues raised during a visit by UN
humanitarian official Martin Griffiths this week. Other
concerns included the status of the Kinshasa population,
a delayed immunization campaign and the protection
of minorities, in particular Tutsis held at Kokolo
camp.

Griffiths, deputy UN emergency relief coordinator, made
representations on principles of humanitarian access
and respect for human rights in meetings with ministers
in Kinshasa this week and with rebel officials in Goma
yesterday (Thursday). Griffiths told IRIN today (Friday)
that he was attempting to establish principles under
which UN agencies might be able to resume humanitarian
operations in rebel-controlled areas of DRC where security
permitted. UN agencies are pressing rebel authorities
to return assets looted during the rebellion as an
initial step. Griffiths said humanitarian action in
eastern DRC was likely to be "difficult"
for some time. "It's not easy to be optimistic",
he said.

Rebels impose curfew in Goma

Rebel authorities in Goma have imposed a night curfew
in the city, following Monday's attack by Mayi-Mayi
warriors and Hutu militia, AFP reported yesterday (Thursday).
The attack killed 24 civilians and wounded several
others, rebels told AFP. The curfew is in effect from
8 pm to 6 am. Electrical power in Goma is turned off
every day between midnight and dawn, local sources
report. The Rwanda News Agency (RNA) reported that
rebel-controlled radio in Bukavu denied claims that
"bami", or traditional leaders had been abducted
and transported to Rwanda. The rebels further claim
to be encircling Kindu. Few clear details about the
military situation have emerged in recent days, however,
as both sides exchange claims and counter-claims.

UN Security Council discusses DRC crisis

The UN Security Council met in closed session yesterday
to discuss the DRC crisis. Following the informal consultations,
the council's president, Hans Dhalgren of Sweden, told
journalists that the 15 members want "an immediate
ceasefire, the withdrawal of all foreign forces and
the initiation of a peace process and political dialogue"
in the DRC. Diplomatic sources say the council also
expressed concern regarding the continued flow of arms
into the DRC and urged respect for human rights and
international humanitarian law.

Mkapa joins Chiluba peace mission

Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa is scheduled to accompany
President Frederick Chiluba of Zambia to Uganda on
Saturday as part of regional efforts to end the war
in the DRC, AFP reported. The two visiting heads of
state will meet with President Yoweri Museveni for
"private discussions" on the crisis, AFP
said, quoting a Ugandan government statement. Earlier
this week, Chiluba announced that he would visit Museveni
and Rwandan President Pasteur Bizimungu to pursue mediation
efforts initiated by the Southern African Development
Community (SADC). It was unclear whether Mkapa was
also planning to accompany Chiluba on the Kigali portion
of the mission.

Angola to withdraw forces "as quickly as possible"

Angola has told the US Congress that it supports a diplomatic
solution to the DRC conflict and that it has "no
intention" of expanding its military operations
in the DRC. In a letter submitted to the Congressional
sub-committee on Africa for its 15 September hearing
on the DRC crisis, Angola's ambassador to the US, Antonio
dos Santos Franca, said that Angola had sent troops
to the DRC because the conflict represented a "direct
threat" to Angola's peace process and to its oil
and other national assets. Angola intended to withdraw
its forces from the DRC "as quickly as possible,"
dos Santos Franca said in the letter.

Earlier this week, Zimbabwe's Defence Minister told
his country's parliament that troops from Zimbabwe,
Angola and Namibia would remain in the DRC until peace
is secured there. Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe
said on state television today that "many more
African countries" are prepared to send troops
to support Kabila, Reuters reported.

TANZANIA: Burundian arrivals include war-wounded

About 10 percent of the Burundian refugees arriving
in Kigoma are sent to the regional hospital for medical
assistance, either because of severe malnutrition or
due to serious bullet and machete wounds, WFP's weekly
emergency report said. Those suffering from malnutrition
are mostly children under five years of age, the report
said. Refugees referred to the hospital receive three
meals a day under WFP's special feeding programme,
while all new arrivals to Kigoma are provided with
WFP high-energy biscuits, the report added. UNHCR figures
indicate that a total of 2,446 Burundian refugees had
arrived in Kigoma since the beginning of August up
to 15 September, while 5,333 Congolese refugees had
arrived during the same period.

The DRC rebels' political leader, Ernest Wamba dia Wamba,
told AFP yesterday that Rwandan Hutu Interahamwe and
ex-FAR soldiers had crossed the river from Brazzaville
to Kinshasa on Tuesday to support Kabila's armed forces.
However, the governments of both the DRC and Congo
(Brazzaville) have denied the allegation. There are
some 11,000 Rwandan Hutu refugees in Congo (Brazzaville).

CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE)-CABINDA: Local leaders discuss border
security

The leader of Congo's Kouilou region discussed border
security with the governor of Angola's troubled Cabinda
enclave last weekend, according to Congolese Radio
Liberte, monitored by the BBC. The meeting took place
in Cabinda in the presence of Angola's interim prime
minister, Santana Andre Kipra Pedro, it added. Kouilou
hosts some 20,000 Angolan refugees who have fled clashes
between the Angolan army and various factions of the
secessionist Cabinda Enclave Liberation Front (FLEC).

RWANDA: Two men sentenced to death in Ruhengeri

A court in Ruhengeri on Wednesday sentenced two men
to death on charges of genocide and crimes against
humanity during the 1994 civil war, AFP reported. The
men, Tatien Iyamuremye and Evariste Ngoroye, were accused
of using their positions as local administrators in
the Nyarutovu area of Ruhengeri to oversee the massacre
of Tutsis, according to AFP.

SUDAN: Rebels claim Liria captured

The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) has announced
the capture on of the garrison town of Liria, 72 km
southeast of Juba in the eastern Equatoria region.
A rebel statement, reported by AP, said that the SPLA
had captured two tanks and other materiel during the
attack on Wednesday.

World Vision plans road convoy to Tonj and Gogrial

World Vision this week announced plans for the delivery
of 11,000 mt of food aid for Tonj and Gogrial counties
of southern Sudan next year. The food, donated by USAID
is expected to be delivered by land in what World Vision
describes as a "daring" operation.

Anti-US demonstrations planned

The Sudanese government has announced a nationwide protest
on Sunday to mark the one-month anniversary of the
US strike on the Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in
Khartoum. AFP reports the labour minister Abdul Rahman
Nur Eddin calling for workers to come out on 20 September
to denounce "unjust American agression".

GREAT LAKES: UN funding remains low

Only 24 percent of the UN's 1998 appeal for humanitarian
assistance in the Great Lakes and Central Africa has
been funded. Figures released by OCHA Geneva show that
five smaller UN agencies had reveived no pledges at
all while the rest received at best 50 percent funding.
Of a requested US $573.8 million, only US $137.9 is
available. Non-UN humanitarian funding for the region,
as recorded by OCHA, amounts to an additional US $121.6
million so far this year.

Nairobi, 17 August 1998, 15:55 GMT

[ENDS]

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